If Halloween horror tests your wits a bit too much, don’t fret. Alongside animated Halloween films and Supernatural, there are other non-threatening things to watch this Halloween: spoof horror.
Scary Movie is not a horror film. It’s a parody of slasher-horrors, poking fun at Scream and a long list of other classic horrors. You don’t need to watch the original scary content; the parody stands strong alone as a silly, stupid comedy.
Written by and starring the Wayan brothers (White Chicks), with the help of others, the film has famously dirty and “of-it’s-time” humour that could have you squealing with laughter rather than terror this Halloween. Plus, if you like it, there are a further four films available for you to watch- with a fifth coming next year, over ten years since the last.
A Haunted House is another Wayan brothers creation- just Marlon this time. In a similar vein to Scary Movie and with similar belly-buckling jokes, a famous horror film is put under scrutinising comedic lense: Paranormal Activity. The found-footage horror genre is often regarded as one of the spookiest. Its candid nature makes it more realistic. In A Haunted House, that is what makes the movie funnier.
Again, if you love it enough, there’s a sequel you can watch too. The Conjuring, Annabelle, and The Exorcist are just some of the references in this film. Like the others, there’s plenty of fun moments for fans of “proper” horror to recognise.
Another film is one you have likely seen but may not have classed as a horror spoof. Shaun of the Dead is a zombie horror parody in the infamous Cornetto Trio, following a zombie apocalypse in London. Simon Pegg and Edgar White are co-writers and stars of the film, and are desperate for the end of the world to end so they can pop down the local for a pint. It’s silly, it’s well-written and it’s a classic.
All three are well worth watching this Halloween. Even if you do prefer a proper scary movie, bare these three spoofs in mind. Watching these after an Insidious binge may make it a bit easier for you to sleep. However you choose to spend your Halloween, there is a film out there to suit your mood.
Feature image credit: Dimension Films
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